TORONTO – The three men accused of murdering Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, in a killing that triggered a diplomatic crisis between Canada and India, appeared briefly in a British Columbia courtroom on May 7.

Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22, all Indian nationals, face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

The three appeared via video link wearing orange prison uniforms.

Mr Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in June 2023 outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population. A few months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prompted a diplomatic crisis with New Delhi when he cited evidence of Indian government involvement in Mr Nijjar’s death.

Canadian police said on May 3 that they were probing whether the three accused had ties to the Indian government.

India has denied involvement in Mr Nijjar’s death. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on May 4 that India would wait for Canadian police to share information on the three accused.

“One of our concerns which we have been telling them is that they have allowed organised crime from India, specifically from Punjab, to operate in Canada,” Dr Jaishankar said.

Mr Nijjar was a Canadian citizen campaigning for the creation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland carved out of India. The presence of Sikh separatist groups in Canada has long frustrated New Delhi, which had labelled Mr Nijjar a “terrorist”.

Canadian Sikh leaders have called for Canada to investigate Indian interference in Canadian affairs. Mr Nijjar’s long-time friend Moninder Singh called the arrests over his friend’s death “bittersweet” last week. REUTERS